Evaluation of leanness using fuzzy association rules mining

The modern manufacturing organizations are adopting lean manufacturing principles so as to eliminate wastes and streamline their processes. The evaluation of leanness gains vital importance. Multiple tools/techniques are available for ensuring leanness. Due to the impreciseness and vagueness associated with decision-making problems, fuzzy logic need to be used. Relational databases enable decision-making process. This article presents a study in which fuzzy association rules mining approach has been used for leanness evaluation of an Indian modular switches manufacturing organization. The experiences gained as a result of the conduct of the study indicated that leanness evaluation could be performed by the decision makers without any constraints.     

Optimization of Mixing Parameters in Nanosilica Toughened Cement Mortar Using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis

Silicon - In this research, multi response Taguchi-grey relational approach was employed to optimize the mixing parameters in cement mortar preparation. The main aim of this present investigation...     

Calf massager: Intervention for body muscle discomfort during prolonged standing

Many occupations require workers to stand for long periods of time without proper interventions, which causes discomfort in the back and lower limbs. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effectiveness in alleviating body muscle discomfort during prolonged standing through the use of a calf massager. This study was conducted among male workers at a manufacturer with production line workers and the list was obtained from the HR Department and simple random sampling was done by number categorization. A total of 100 respondents (50 respondents for both the control and the experimental groups) participated in this study. The experiment took place in a room with a similar setup for the production line. Each respondent was requested to perform the simulated task for 2 hr. For the experimental group, the calf massager was turned on every 15 min. At every 15‐min interval after turning on the calf massager, respondents from both groups were required to evaluate their discomfort level on a Borg's scale CR‐10 questionnaire. The results showed that the level of body discomfort among respondents in the experimental group reduced (20–30%) compared with that of the control group. Multivariate analysis results revealed that the discomfort rating for the lower back, knees, thighs, calves, and feet was significantly lower (p < .05) among the experimental group compared with the control group. For lower body parts, the lower back region was statistically significant (p < .05) at the 90th, 105th, and 120th min; the thigh region was statistically significant (p < .05) at the 120th min; the knee region was statistically significant (p < .05) at the 105th and 120th min; the calf region was statistically significant (p < .05) at all minute intervals except the 15th and 45th min, while the feet region, was statistically significant at the 105th and 120th min. Therefore, this study indicates that calf massage treatment is capable of reducing body muscle discomfort during prolonged standing and highlights the significance of calf massage.     

High-frequency reflection from the aperture of a long E-planesectoral horn

The result of Yee et al. (1968) for the parallel-plane TE₁₀ -mode reflection coefficient, used in Jull's (1972) formulation for the reflection coefficient of a long E-plane sectoral horn, is replaced by the Boersma's (1974) corresponding result. At longer wavelengths, the expression that emerges displays a much better match with experiments than Jull's original expressions     

Injection molded noil hemp fiber composites: Interfacial shear strength,fiber strength,and aspect ratio

Noil hemp fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composites were fabricated using intermixer and injection molding machines. X‐ray microtomography and Weibull statistical methods were employed to characterize the aspect ratio distributions of noil hemp fibers in the polypropylene matrices. The influence of fiber content (0–40 wt%) and compatibilizer addition (5 wt%) on IFSS (interfacial shear strengths) was evaluated by means of the modified Bowyer and Bader model. The evaluated IFSSs decreased from 9.7 to 7.2 MPa as the fiber content increased from 10 to 40 wt%. Also, the outcomes indicated increases to IFSSs for the maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP)‐coupled composites than uncoupled ones. They were used to predict theoretical tensile strength of the composites. A good agreement has been found between the theoretical and the experimental tensile strengths of composites indicating that the developed model has excellent capability to predict the tensile strength of noil hemp fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Ultimately, the influences of interfacial shear strength; fiber strength and fiber aspect ratio were investigated using the developed model to predict composite tensile strengths. POLYM. COMPOS., 213–220, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Experimental verification of the generalized Schelkunoff'shorn-gain formulas for sectoral horns

An approximate formula has been recently proposed for the on-axis gain of rectangular waveguide antennas, that include open-ended rectangular waveguides and sectoral and pyramidal horns (see Selvan, K.T., IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol.47, p.1001-4, 1999). This formula is an approximate generalization of S.A. Schelkunoff's horn-gain formulas (see "Electromagnetic Waves", Van Nostrand, p.360-4, 1943). Gain measurements are reported for the gains of E plane and H plane sectoral horns and are used in an examination of the accuracy of Selvan's formulas. To the best of the authors' knowledge, these are the first ever measurement efforts on the gain of H-plane sectoral horns     

Extraction behavior of Am(III) and Eu(III) by tri-n-octylmethylammonium diglycolamate ionic liquid impregnated XAD-7

Aliquat-336-based strongly hydrophobic ionic liquid, tri-n-octylmethylammonium diglycolamate ([A336]⁺[DGA]^?), was prepared and impregnated in Amberlite XAD-7 (abbreviated as [A336]⁺[DGA]^?/XAD-7) for studying the extraction behavior of Am(III) and Eu(III) from nitric acid medium. The distribution ratio of Am(III) and Eu(III) in [A336]⁺[DGA]^?/XAD-7 decreased with an increase in the concentration of nitric acid and the mechanism of trivalent metal ion extraction in the resin phase was elucidated. The uptake of Am(III) and Eu(III) in [A336]⁺[DGA]^?/XAD-7 followed a second order and from the Langmuir adsorption model the apparent europium extraction capacity was determined. The conditions needed for efficient separation of Am(III) from Eu(III) was optimized.     

Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and mosquito larvicidal activity against dengue,zika and chikungunya causing vector Aedes aegypti

In the present study, high purity copper oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesised using Tridax procumbens leaf extract. Green syntheses of nano‐mosquitocides rely on plant compounds as reducing and stabilising agents. Copper oxide NPs were characterised using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry and fluorescence spectroscopy. XRD studies of the NPs indicate crystalline nature which was perfectly matching with a monoclinic structure of bulk CuO with an average crystallite size of 16 nm. Formation of copper oxide NPs was confirmed by FT‐IR studies and photoluminescence spectra with emission peaks at 331, 411 and 433 nm were assigned to a near‐band‐edge emission band of CuO in the UV, violet and blue region. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry studies inferred the phytochemical constituents of the leaf extract. Larvicidal activity of synthesised NPs using T. procumbens leaf extract was tested against Aedes aegypti species (dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever transmit vector).Inspec keywords: photoluminescence, spectrophotometry, thermal analysis, chromatography, nanoparticles, antibacterial activity, field emission electron microscopy, microorganisms, wide band gap semiconductors, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, copper compounds, ultraviolet spectra, nanofabrication, X‐ray chemical analysis, crystallites, visible spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy, nanobiotechnology, semiconductor materials, semiconductor growth, fluorescence, mass spectraOther keywords: energy dispersive spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visual spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, chikungunya, green synthesis, mosquito larvicidal activity, zika, X‐ray diffraction analysis, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, XRD, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, copper oxide nanoparticles, dengue, tridax procumben leaf extract, nanomosquitocides, FTIR, monoclinic structure, crystallite size, photoluminescence spectra, near‐band‐edge emission band, phytochemical constituents, Aedes aegypti species, yellow fever transmit vector, CuO